pillow
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pillow
A cushion filled with soft material such as feathers or foam, on which you place your head when sleeping or lying down.
Ich brauche ein neues Kopfkissen, weil mein altes zu flach ist.
I need a new pillow because my old one is too flat.
The word is built very logically. It consists of 'Kopf' (head) and 'Kissen' (pillow). So it is literally a pillow for the head.
Ohne mein Kopfkissen kann ich nicht gut schlafen.
I can't sleep well without my pillow.
In everyday life, a 'Kopfkissen' (pillow) is often 'aufgeschüttelt' (fluffed up) to make it looser again. You can also 'beziehen' (put a cover on) a pillow, which means putting a clean pillowcase over it.
Jeden Morgen schüttle ich mein Kopfkissen kräftig auf.
Every morning I give my pillow a good fluff.
In Austria, the word 'der Polster' is also very common for 'Kopfkissen' (pillow). In Germany, 'Polster' is used more for sofa cushions or decorative cushions.
Für die Reise habe ich meinen eigenen Polster mitgenommen.
I took my own pillow with me for the trip.
cushion / padding / buffer
Polster and Kopfkissen are both soft, filled supports for lying down. Polster is used especially in Austrian German to mean a pillow, while Kopfkissen clearly indicates throughout standard German that it is for the head when sleeping. In everyday Austrian German, both words are possible.
In Deutschland legt Mia ihr Kopfkissen vor dem Schlafen auf das Bett.
In Germany, Mia puts her pillow on the bed before going to sleep.
In Österreich legt Mia ihren Polster vor dem Schlafen auf das Bett.
In Austria, Mia puts her pillow on the bed before going to sleep.
